


Should Have Listened

by thirdtimecharmed



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Death, Deathfic, F/M, Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-15
Updated: 2011-05-15
Packaged: 2017-10-19 10:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/200019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thirdtimecharmed/pseuds/thirdtimecharmed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Terezi is hunting through the lab, while Karkat worries, with good reason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Should Have Listened

            Before he fully registered what had happened, he was sprinting up staircase after staircase. Fear and disbelief kept him going as his lungs burned, and his vision clouded into a haze of panic. He stumbled, swore bitterly, picked himself up and kept running, the conversation still echoing in his head.

-

            She was hurt. Badly. Taking shuddering deep breaths, she heaved herself up to her feet and clutched at the wound in her side. The intermittent honks mocked her as she whipped her head around. Her glasses had fallen off, and her cane was lost somewhere in the sea of scent obfuscating blood. Somewhere, deep down, she knew it was too late.

-

            “LET ME TALK TO HER FUCKASS,” he had complained.

            “shes busy kk,” that smug asshole had responded, “just give us a minute.”

            “SOLLUX YOU DIPSHIT SHE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT GAMZ-”

            “h0ld 0n kk seri0usly. even she thinks y0u need t0 get a grip.”

            Karkat had complained, albeit grudgingly. When Solluxed turned off his headset, he pounced.

            “WHY IN THE EVER LOVING FUCK DID YOU DO THAT?

            “she said she had t0 g0,” he had answered, sounding almost as worried as Karkat himself.

            “GO WHERE? WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING?”

            “i d0n’t kn0w.”

            “OF COURSE YOU DON’T, DIPSHIT,” he had sighed, running an infuriated hand through his hair, “HERE, GIVE ME THAT.”

-

            There was no time for words. No pleas for life escaped her lips, no heartrending last words, just a pitiful moan as the club sailed down once more. She was weaker now, even weaker than before if that was possible. Everything hurt, and nothing hurt. Her injuries accumulated faster than she could keep track of them, and still she kept fighting. There was no other choice, although she knew that she was only holding off the inevitable.

-

CarcinoGeneticist began trolling GallowsCalibrator

            GC: WH4T DO YOU W4NT, K4RK4T?

            GC: 1’M BUSY

            CG WILL YOU DIG YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE LAWBOOK THAT’S SHOVED UP             YOUR REAR END AND LISTEN TO ME?

            GC: NO PROM1S3S

            CG: YOU CRAZY DUMB-

            CG: UGH NEVER MIND

            CG: LISTEN GAMZEE’S GONE CRAZY

            CG: HE’S KILLING US OFF ONE BY ONE AND YOU AREN’T SAFE ALONE

            CG: SO THERE’S NO TIME TO BE FUCKING AROUND TRYING TO FIND                          SPIDERBITCH.

            GC: K4R, TH1S 1S CL34RLY GO1NG OV3R YOUR H34D

            GC: VR1SK4 1S ON TH3 LOOS3

            GC: SH3 K1LL3D T4VROS 4ND JUST1C3 W1LL B3 S3RV3D.

GallowsCalibrator ceased trolling CarcinoGeneticist

            CG; GOD DAMNIT TEREZI

            CG: WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

            CG: LET GAMZEE FUCKING FINISH HER OFF

            CG: FUCK IT JUST STAY PUT.

CarcinoGeneticist ceased trolling GallowsCalibrator

 

            Then he had started running.

-

            She should have listened to him. He was right, for once, and she should have realized that. Another involuntary cry escaped her lips as she realized she was never going to speak to him again. He would never know she was sorry for ignoring him. She could never apologize. Weakly, she raised her hands to block the millionth blow flying towards her fallen figure, and hoped for deliverance, in one form or another.

-

            He slammed through doors, leaving them wide open in his wake and not caring who or what followed. Maybe if he was loud enough, ostentatious enough, it would distract the psychopaths in the lab. The could take him, if it would save her. They could take everyone if it would save her. Though he was out of breath and panting, he started calling her name at the top of his lungs. All he could think about was finding her, turning left and right in a maze of unexplored rooms.

-

            Her breathing was so shallow it could barely be heard. Each shaky gasp hurt badly, and she almost wanted it to end. It would be easier if it ended. A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye as footsteps approached, and she wasn’t sure if it was a tear of fear or relief. Regardless, she used whatever force and fight she had left to drag herself away, blindly trying to find salvation wherever she could. There was none to be found. She was alone. She heard a door slam.

-

            If she wasn’t up here, he would just yell. He had looked everywhere, every door to the lab had been flung open in a frantic hurry, and there had been no sign of her. No sign of her, no sign of Gamzee, not even Vriska had made an appearance. All was eerily silent. Sprinting through the door to the roof, though, he realized his worries weren’t necessary. He wouldn’t have to run anywhere else. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he could move at all.

-

            It wasn’t worth the effort. It wasn’t worth it, and she did it anyway, turning her head as the slam echoed into nothingness. There was a whoosh of air as her tormentor disappeared, unwilling to confront the new arrival quite yet... whoever it was.

-

            He hadn’t seen Gamzee beating her to a pulp. He hadn’t watched her fall at the hands of an old friend. He hadn’t experienced any of her wounds, and hadn’t taken the beating himself. It still felt like he had. He was frozen by the sudden pain that shot through him.

            “Terezi?” he stammered, not able to believe what he saw.

            “Karkat.” It was barely a whisper, and he wouldn’t have heard it if he hadn’t been straining for some sign of life. The sound of her voice, devoid of all teasing certainty unfroze him, and he dashed to kneel by her side.

            “Oh god oh fuck this is not happening, jegus Terezi...”

            “Karkat,” she sighed again, wincing as she slowly turned to face him, “Karkat you were...” she coughed, “you were right.”

            He laughed bitterly to disguise the sobs he was choking back.

            Another tear fell down her face as she tried to continue, “I should have... listened. I’m.. I’m sorry.”

            She sighed and slumped to the ground again, eyes wide open in fear as she faced her inevitable fate at last. He was less obliging.

            “Fuck Terezi I can’t... you can’t,” he fumbled, “this wasn’t suppose to happen. You’re supposed to live, you can’t die, you’ll be okay...”

            Gently, softly, and using the last of her strength, she reached up to stroke his cheek, wiping away a tear. He grabbed her hand, crushing it between both of his as he shook with silent sobs.

            “Goodbye,” she said faintly, smiling sadly. Her hand went limp, and he slowly set it down, though he couldn’t bring himself to let it go. Not yet. Instead, he clung to her lifeless hand and whispered hoarsely “I loved you”


End file.
